Unintentional Force ?

[3afan]

10U-B, bases loaded, 2 outs .... pitch bounces in, batter swings & misses at strike 3 ... ball bounces out just in front of home plate in fair territory ... catcher pounces on it ... coaches, moms & dads are all yelling so she's not sure what to do ... finally she throws to first base (not in time to get the BR) but while in the motion of doing so she steps on home plate ... so I have a force, 3rd out, and I call it.

Offensive coach comes out to pay me a visit:
"Blue, what was that call?"
"Catcher touched home plate, thats a force, 3rd out"
"But she threw to first, that runner was safe"
"Yessir, but she stepped on home, thats a force out, the throw to first didnt matter at that point"
"But blue, you can't accidently touch a base - there has to be intent for there to be a force"
- pause as I compose myself -
"No coach, touching a base is touching a base, the rulebook says nothing about intent. As soon as she touched home plate that was the 3rd out"
- mumbling as the coach walks away

[CecilOne]

I hope the coach was thinking about an appeal.

BTW, why do we say we have an out (or strike, or catch or INT, or...), when actually the fielders do.

[CelticNHBlue]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

I hope the coach was thinking about an appeal.

BTW, why do we say we have an out (or strike, or catch or INT, or...), when actually the fielders do.

Because it's nothing, until WE call it

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by CelticNHBlue

Because it's nothing, until WE call it

Or, putting it another way, THEY don't have it until WE have it!

[CecilOne]

You guys probably think there is no sound when a tree falls with no one nearby.